Topic 4: Interactive White Boards

Topic 4: Is the SmartBoard Worth the Cost?

Advantages (LT)

•   For Students
• Increased participation
• Increased motivation
• Opportunity to delve into complex and abstract subjects
•     For Teachers
• Flexibility
• Multiple Resources
• Reaches multiple and diverse students

Disadvantages (LT)

•  For Students
• Quickly lose appeal
• Less time on content
• One note lessons 
•       For Teachers
• Technical issues
• Teacher Training – stewardship
• Shifts attention from student to technology

• as a tool for non-linear learning;
• combines the benefits of interactive computer use with group learning;
• as a tool for multi-modal teaching;
• as a tool for teaching children with disabilities

• must have adequate training and time to find appropriate software;
• must be an integral part of the lesson, not something tacked on to be fun

• Special Needs classes
• Gives students extra time to study
• Plenty of resources and teaching assistance
• Example of my sister who suffered a TBI and how a Smartboard who have helped

• Using different colors in presentations 
• The use of colors appeals to different learning styles
• Teachers can highlight positive and negative aspects of student essays
• Visually enhances notes

• Saving notes 
• Help students catch up if they miss a day of class, which enables them to not fall behind in class
• Students can review notes before a big test
• Students can use the notes to assist them in homework
• Students can access notes at home through the teacher's class website

• Substitute teachers
• Teachers can easily prepare notes if they know they will be absent.
• Teachers can video record notes for that day  

• Assisting parents
• Parents can access notes at home which helps them understand what their child is learning
• Keeps the students accountable for what they are learning
• Parents can help their children study (such as students with Special Needs)

• Access to the Internet
• Internet is at the teacher's fingertip, which will not disrupt the flow of class
• History teachers can access speeches given by political leaders
• Presidential election videos and debates
• Speeches given at the United Nation 
• Foreign language teachers can access international websites
• Mathematics teachers can access websites that rely on statistics

• Engaging students
• Gets students more involved in class
• More likely to learn the required material